On a Wing and a Prayer

Veteran display pilot Gene Soucy takes off with wingwalker Teresa Stokes standing on the Showcat’s lower wing. The couple share many things in life together, even a kidney that she donated for transplant when his were failing.

Inverted Pass

At least it is for Teresa Stokes, who is standing on her head on the upper wing. Stokes is an internationally acclaimed aviation and space artist as well as the top stuntwoman-wingwalker in the world. She lives at her houseboat-studio near the Johnson Space Center in Houston. Teresa has been wingwalking on Gene Soucy’s Showcat for 30 years.

A Cut Above the Rest

Three-time U.S. National Aerobatic Champion Patty Wagstaff cuts a ribbon while flying inverted during EAA AirVenture. Wagstaff was the first woman to clinch the U.S. title. She performs today in an Extra 300S.

Ribbon Cutting’s All the Rage

Claimed to be a world-first, an aerobatic airplane cuts a ribbon joining two members of the Patriot Parachute Team, a professional skydive demonstration team owned and operated by former Navy SEALs. Flying the Edge 540 is aerobatic performer Bill Stein.

Sharing the Sky

T-6’s 80th Anniversary

This year’s gathering of North American T-6 advanced trainers at AirVenture had a special theme: the celebration of the marque’s 80th anniversary. A total of 15,495 were produced and were used by many air forces around the world, especially during and after World War II; many were not replaced until the 1970s, and some soldiered on into the ‘90s. Among the aircraft’s many names were Texan, Harvard, SNJ and just plain old T-6. Massed formations flew at AirVenture; pictured is a fly-by of 17 aircraft.

D-Day Deja Vu

It’ll be Normandy all over again when a group of at least 19 C-47s visit the beaches in France next year to celebrate the 75th anniversary of D-Day. Miraculously, the C-47 that led the invasion was discovered in a scrapyard in Oshkosh and has been restored to flying condition. Named “That’s All, Brother” as a message to Hitler, it led 800 C-47s that day. Here it is pictured with two other C-47s—it is the one on the right.

Many of America’s—and the world’s—best airshow performers can be seen at Oshkosh, as well as hundreds of ex-military aircraft now in private hands. Visits by current military aircraft add spice to the mix. Here are just a few of the favorites.

Follow Us

Search AviationWeek.com

Informa USA, Inc.

We use cookies to improve your website experience. To learn about our use of cookies and how you can manage your cookie settings, please see our Cookie Policy. By continuing to use the website, you consent to our use of cookies.